A Tale of Two Lives
by PhantomoftheShadows
Summary: A female bounty hunter has her life change drastically over the course of an evening. R&R please...I suck a summaries, better than it sounds


**A/N: I own nothing… this is my first Van Helsing story, so please no flames. Also, I reeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaallllllllyyyyyyyyy like reviews. Read and enjoy.**

**Your obedient servant,**

**Phantom of the Shadows**

Chapter 1.

The tavern was in its usual state. There was minimal lighting, due to the fact that it was night, and it was almost completely full with the regular customers who were loudly talking about everything from politics to farming. The smoke from the tabacco pipes of the men spiralled up, curling their long fingers around the support beams. Mirabella was found navigating her way through the sea of chairs, tables and people while carrying two glasses of scotch. She finally reached her destination, which was a table at the center of the tavern. Two men with a heavy built and dark brown beards were seated at the table talking animatedly. Mirabella bent over and put the glasses of scotch before the two men who had suddenly stopped talking and whose attention had been diverted by Mirabella's coming. They both stared at her with wide eyes as they took in Mirabella's appearance. She wore a skirt that flared outward and barely came down past her knees. Her shirt was tight and, when she bent down, gave a clear view of her bosom. Noticing that her clothing had caught her customers' attention, she gave a sweet smile before walking back to the bar to clean some of the dirty glasses while she waited for a new customer to come in. Suddenly she felt a gust of the cold wind swirl through the tavern as someone opened the door and came in. Mirabella noticed that it was on of her regular customer who also happened to be a female. Since the woman was a regular, Mirabella first went to the bar, go the woman's regular drink and went to find the woman who had seated herself in the darkest corner of the tavern. Mirabella place the glass down in front of the woman.

"Hello again. I haven't seen you for a while," Mirabella said conversationally.

The woman slowly raised her head and gave Mirabella a piercing look. Mirabella noticed that she was looking rather pale.

"I've been busy," came the reply in a low voice. "Thank-you for the drink."

Mirabella's attention was then drawn by another gust of the cold night air as another customer came in. He had long black hair that was pulled back into a ponytail and two golden earrings. He was extremely pale and was dressed from head to toe in black and wore a long black cape. His piercing eyes swept across the tavern finally coming to rest at the dark back tables. He noiselessly and effortlessly moved to the back tables and gracefully sat down at the table beside the one where the woman sat. Mirabella went over to him.

"Good evening sir, what can I get you to drink?"

"I'll have the strongest scotch you have please," came the reply in a thick Transylvanian accent.

Mirabella made her way slowly back towards the bar, picking up dirty, empty glasses' and tips along the way. After the new man had his drink, Mirabella went back to the bar to continue cleaning the glasses'. Quite suddenly a dark form sat down on a bar stool in from of Mirabella who looked up startled. As the sight of the wide-brimmed hat, the long black coat and the strong chin sunk in, Mirabella gave a wide, genuine smile.

"Why hello Van Helsing. The regular scotch?"

"Actually, I was wondering if you had anything stronger Mirabella."

"Well, we just got this drink that supposedly set your insides on fire…"

"That'll do. I'll take a pint of that."

"So, how's it going? Any new assignments or monster hunts?" Mirabella asked as she placed the pint on the bar in front of Van Helsing.

Before Van Helsing could answer, yelling from the back of the tavern disrupted both him and Mirabella. A drunken man was pointing at someone while yelling and cursing.

"You! You're the one! The assassin Jeannette Bretchaour that killed my cousin last week in Prague!" the man shouted, spit flying everywhere.

The pale woman at the back table looked up. "I'm afraid you are mistake sir. I give you my word that I have not killed your cousin. In fact, I have not been in Prague for a while now."

"Liar!" snarled the drunken man. With a cry of rage, he launched himself at the woman who jumped out of her chair and out of the way. She then brought the heel of her boot crashing down onto the man's back. She silently blessed the fact that she was in her black pants instead of a skirt, so that she was able to fight without any hindrance. The man fell face downward and was knocked unconscious when his face came in contact with the floor. As his friends saw him fall, they gave a cry in unison before they all sprang forward to attack the woman. The woman was battling fiercely, though still seemed not to be putting much effort into it. This angered most of the men in the bar who decided to join the fray against the woman who was starting to be overpowered. The man dressed all in black with the earrings and black cloak sat at his table and watched with interest as the woman defended herself. Mirabella was rooted to her spot behind the bar counter, staring at the events that were unfolding in shock. Van Helsing however, started to make his way into the fray, trying to brake it up. Van Helsing reached the woman just as a glass bottle of scotch went flying over their heads and shattered on the wall, sending shards throughout the crowd, cutting numerous people. The woman's eyes went wide and her already pallid face turned chalk white as she saw the cuts and bruises up her arms. The sleeves of her favourite black and blood red shirt had been ripped off. She gave an inhuman growl, and Van Helsing was shocked to find that her teeth (especially the canines) were growing longer and sharper. Van Helsing and the man seated in the corner were the only ones to see the woman's teeth before she bowled her way through the crowd, flinging men left and right and dashed out of the tavern door. Van Helsing followed in the woman's wake and ran outside to look for her. The man in black got up out of his chair after Van Helsing had left. He walked up to Mirabella and handed her a pouch full of coins.

"That's for my drink and for the woman's, as well as the damage," he stated before he too walk out of the tavern.

Mirabella stood in complete shock as what had happened during the evening sunk in. Then, the destruction of the fight met her eyes and she looked down at the pouch of coins the man had given her. She opened the pouch and looked inside. Her eyes widened, there would definitely be enough money for the drinks and the reconstruction and renovations.

"Well, this has been an interesting evening."

**So, what did you think? Did you like it? Suggestions for improvements are most appreciated. If you hated it, I would prefer you did not write anything down saying that the chapter was lousy. Please and thank you.**


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